Individual safety garment-rack.



PATENTED FEB. 20, 1906.

H. J. BOU HALL. INDIVIDUAL SAFETY GARMENT RACK.

APPLICATION FILED JULY 10, 1905.

INVENI'OR ATTESI'.

I ATTY.

UNITED STATES PATENT enrich.-

HERMAN J. BOUHALL, CLEVELAND, OHIO, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-HALF TO A. B. HONEOKER, OF CLEVELAND, OHIO.

INDIVIDUAL SAFETY GARMENT-RACK.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented. Feb. 20, 1906.

Application filed July 10, 1905. Serial Nu. 269,099.

To (LZZ whom it ntmy concern:

Be it known that I, HERMAN J. 'BoUHALL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Cleveland, in the county of Cuyahoga and State of Ohio, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Individual Safety Garment-Racks; and I do declare that the following is a full, clear, and exact description of the invention, which will enable others skilled in the art to which it appertains to make and use the same.

My invention relates to individual safety garment-racks; and the object of the invention is to provide a rack which is of a size and style adapted for individual use-and on which a party may hang his or her hat, coat, umbrella, and other wrap or article and lock them securely therein until opened by means of a key in his own possession, all substantially as shown and described, and particu larly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective front view of a rack or rack box or frame embodying my invention and showing a hat, overcoat, and umbrella confined therein. Fig. 2 is a perspectiveview of the rack or rack box or frame open. Fig. 8 is an enlarged plan view of the invention with the box broken away vertically at its lock. Fig. 4 is an enlarged cross-section on the two parts of the rack box which carry interlocking mechanism, as hereinafter fully described. Fig. 5 is a section on line m at, Fig. 4; and Fig. 6 is a section on line 1 y, Fig. 4.

The invention, as thus plainly shown, is intended to supply the need for an individual hat, coat, and umbrella rack, so that one who visits a public placesuch as a hotel, restaurant, hall of entertainment, or other place of popular gathering-may have a rack of his own under lock and key-and adapted to secure the articles he has to deposit temporarily against unintentional exchange or delib erate theft. It frequently occurs that a valuable hat, coat, umbrella, or other article or garment disappears by exchange or otherwise when a number of persons have to stow away or hang up similar articles together and leave them possibly without attendants, and this is most apt to be true of hats, coats, or other wraps, which are especially desirable. Now in order to avoid mistakes or losses in this way and to afford absolute protection to guests, patrons, or visitors I have devised.

means which gives to each person his or her own and exclusive rack and which will secure any and all articles placed therein against removal and without possible injury until the device is opened by the person whose it is for the time being and who is carrying the only key that will open it and which is furnished him when the articles are placed therein.

To these ends the invention comprises a back member B and a front or door D, and the back may be a separate piece, as shown, one for each rack or device, or a part of a continuous piece accommodatin several racks, as when the invention is bui t permanently into or upon a wall. The door D is hinged at one side or end on the back member to swing horizontally open, and space-blocks or walls I) and d on the parts B and D, respectively, divide the distance or space between said parts and afford walls to confine the garments within the rack. The said parts B and D may be made of wood, metal, or other suitable material and are provided with a suitable locksay as shown or its equivalent the idea being to provide a mechanism that cannot be opened by any key but the one especially made for that purpose. In this instance the door has a fixed headedbolt 2 on its inside adapted to enter and engage between the sides of wire engaging spring 3 in the side wall I) of the back, the sides of which spring inward when the head of the bolt passes through to the rear thereof and look upon the neck of the bolt. The key C is of bolt form in this instance and has a reduced portion 0 near its inner end and a head 0, with a ta pered extremity adapted to penetrate between the sides of spring 3, and thus cause it to spread and release the locking-bolt 2. When this occurs, the neck 0 of the key comes beneath the free vertically-slidable key-locking plate or slide 4, supported vertically in a recess in the face of the front Wall (Z of the door or gate and notched at its bottom to catch on the head of the key and prevent the key from being withdrawn. This occurs when the door has been opened by inserting the key. When the door is closed, the flatsided tongue 5 on back wall I) enters slot 6 in plate 4 and raises it out of engagement with key C, said. plate having an inclined or rounded top edge for this purpose. So it occurs when the door has been closed and plate 4 is raised the key can be withdrawn; but when the door is opened and the key is there in it cannot be withdrawn.

Further features of the invention are a coat or garment hook 7, an umbrella-support 8, and a hat-support 9, fixed upon back wall B. The hat is hung on its support above said wall, and a pin 10 with a cushioned end is fixed on the door in position to press the brim thereof against the rear wall B and prevent its removal.

Obviously all these specifically-described features may be more or less chan ed in detail without departing from the spirit of the invention. For example, some or all the hooks or supports for the garments might be on the door or gate D, and this would be a mere reversal of the arrangement shown but in any event said supports, hooks, pins, or whatever they may be must be so constructed and disposed in respect to the back and front of the rack that a garment cannot be removed therefrom while the door is closed. Hence said supports, hooks, or pins extend practically across the entire open space between the front and rear sides of the rack, and the rack is open top and bottom.

If a large number of these racks be used, so as to extend some distance along the side or sides of a room, there should be no two keys alike, at least as to any given portion of the room, and as a further precaution all the keys and racks will be consecutively numbered for accuracy of identification. Ordinarily no attendant is needed where people come and go, as in a restaurant, hotel, or other place, and a party will simply look his hat and coat in the most convenient rack and take the key with him. On his return he unlocks to get the articles and then is obliged to leave the key, as it cannot be removed when the rack-door is open.

What I claim is 1. In individual safety garment-racks, a

rear part and a door hinged thereon at one end and adapted to swing horizontally, a hatsupport fixed on the said rear part and over hanging the space between said parts, and a projection on the inside of said door adapted to press the brim of the hat against said rear part and secure it against removal.

2. In individual safety garment-racks, a back part and a front part hinged thereon at one end and adapted to swing horizontally on its hinges, and means on said parts to lock them together comprising a spring-catch 3 on the rear part, a fixed headed bolt on the door adapted to engage in said catch, and a key having a tapered head adapted to spread said catch and release the bolt.

3. In individual safety garment-racks, the rear part and the door hinged thereon, in combination with a double sided springcatch 3 fixed in said rear part, a headed bolt on the door adapted to engage with said catch, a key having a tapered head adapted 'to spread said catch and release the bolt, and provided with an annular channel at the base of said head, and a stop in the door to engage in said channel and prevent the key from being removed when the door is open.

4. In individual safety garment-racks, the back part and the door, in combination with a bolt on the door and a spring-catch on the back part to engage the same, a key constructed to spread said catch and release the bolt, a plate adapted to engage said key when the door is open and prevent the withdrawal thereof and a projection on said rear part to raise said plate from the key and allow the key to be removed when the door is closed.

In testimony whereof I sign this specification in the presence of two witnesses;

HERMAN J. BOUHALL.

Witnesses:

R. B. MOSER, O; A. SELL. 

